new year resolution 2023 essay ideas

Develop Strategic Leaders

200 New Year’s Resolution Ideas for Career, Work, and Personal Growth

A New Year’s Resolution is a Filipino tradition. Or at least, that’s how Filipino students deemed it. Every January of each year, on the first day of class, students from elementary, high school, and college declare their New Year’s resolutions.

When I was in high school, I wrote my New Year’s Resolution essays (as it was often required) during Christmas breaks. It is still cool to write resolutions these days for fun.

I do Impact Goals, Quarterly Goals, and Monthly Projects, which are better than most New Year’s Resolutions. I will share these with you later if you are interested. An excellent support to your New Year’s resolutions is  3 Words . Find out how to do it.

I am publishing this three days before the New Year. So you will have plenty of time to write your New Year’s Resolution or do the alternatives.

New Year’s Resolution Ideas

Typically, people get a pen and a piece of paper to write one, two, three, or even ten New Year’s resolutions. They write down whatever comes to mind.

A few get post-it notes and Sharpie pens. They write on each note one resolution. They may come up with dozens. Then, they pick the top ten they want to do next year.

I separate my New Year’s resolutions for family and work.

I use a mind map when I make resolutions. It is creative. I write the year, then encircle it. I think of three words. For work, my three words for 2023 are transformation, experience, and dollars. Then, I will generate more ideas from each word.

Another exercise that I do, which I can do any month of the year, is Stop, Continue, and Start.

Most people consider the brainstorming session as the only step to writing a resolution. This is why most of the resolutions don’t have staying power. Later, I will show you ways to make your resolutions compelling.

If you are looking for New Year’s Resolution ideas, these will help you. Open each accordion pane to find resolutions that may inspire you

More than half of those who do New Year’s Resolution pay attention to physical well-being. Probably, because our physical health is most obvious among the many things that need change.

You will find below more than 50 ideas to consider for your resolutions.

Physical Health

• Lose weight.
• Increase 10 pounds.
• Exercise daily.
• Build muscles.
• Go to the gym each week.
• Get 20 drops of Cell Mineral Drop each day.
• Do brisk walking each morning.
• Eat nutritious food.
• Less sugar, no coffee, more tea.
• Eat fruits and vegetables.
• Start a vegan diet.
• Cook my own meals.
• Eat on time.
• Eat fresh foods, less fast foods.
• Plant fruits and vegetables.
• Eat when I am hungry.
• Drink milk each day.
• Drink 8 glasses of water.
• Take care of teeth.
• Stop smoking. It is now or never.
• Cut back on alcohol.
• Sleep eight hours a day.
• Sleep before 10 in the evening.
• Do power naps.
• Wake up before 5 in the morning.
• Sit less, move more.
• Do jumping jacks each morning.
• Cut grass every day.
• Wash the dishes at once.
• Do bungee jumping.
• Learn scuba diving.
• Ride a bike to work.
• Go mountain hiking each month.
• Train for a marathon.
• Join a bike club.
• Take dancing lessons.
• Join a Zumba class.
• Study martial arts.
• Swim for 30 minutes each week.
• Do ten push-ups after I wake up.
• Limit screen time. Stop Facebook and do less Netflix.
• Travel more often.
• Walk when the destination is less than 1 kilometer.
• Take monthly vacations.
• Do a three-month vacation.
• Start a no-phone zone and time.

Financial Wellness

Financial well-being is an ever-green aspiration. Though people are not comfortable sharing their money resolutions, it is one that they think about most of the time.

Here are some examples to help you brainstorm your money resolutions for the next year.

• Reduce expenses.
• Save more money.
• Pay all my debts.
• Create a new stream of income .
• Start a personal budget.
• Pay my credit card on time.
• Stop using my credit card.
• Not open any more credit cards.
• Find a financial advisor.
• Get an insurance plan.
• Join a paluwagan.
• Invest in the stock market.
• Take financial literacy course.
• Start a side hustle.
• Start a new business.
• Do online courses and webinars.
• Invest in Modified Pag-ibig II (MP2) Savings.
• Market other people’s products.
• Earn 10 million.
• Cook meals and eat less in restaurants to save money.

Intellectual Wellness

Intellectual growth is something worth considering in crafting New Year’s Resolutions. It does not matter how old you are; we continue learning for life.

I read three to ten books each month. Frankly, I don’t need to remember everything I read. But when I need to write something or answer questions, I find them useful. Answers magically appear.

The last book I read is Building the Second Brain by Tiago Forte. It helps me organize the information I need. When I need to develop modules on leadership training, I can easily access ideas, tools, and insights that are already mine.

May the following inspire you to grow intellectually.

• Learn how to learn.
• Learn how to make quality decisions.
• Learn how to think creatively.
• Do action research.
• Read personal development books.
• Apply lateral thinking in problem-solving.
• Listen to podcasts instead of watching TV.
• Study mind mapping.
• Use gamestorming in solving problems.
• Learn five new words each day.
• Practice time management skills.
• Learn from mistakes.
• Read leadership books.
• Watch documentaries.
• Learn a new language.
• Master some coding skills.
• Study innovation tools.
• Study strategic planning.
• Brainstorm new products each day.
• Use Design Thinking tools.
• Learn how to tell stories.
• Keep a discovery journal.
• Master memory techniques.
• Practice sketchnoting.
• Read history books.
• Study science books.
• Do DIY projects.

Spiritual Wellness

Filipinos are spiritual, if not very religious, people. We want to stay centered and grounded. But there are times we find ourselves losing control. And we look back and find ourselves away from what we used to do every Sunday.

Consider your spiritual well-being too.

May the following resolutions inspire you to examine your spiritual growth.

• Pray every morning.
• Go to church on Sundays.
• Meditate in the evening.
• Attend a religion class.
• Start a gratitude journal.
• Join a prayer group.
• Do evangelistic work.
• Use a spiritual journal.
• Read the Bible daily.
• Attend a spiritual retreat.
• Do a weekly “Commune with God”.
• Do gardening.
• Practice mindfulness.
• Pay forward.
• Spend time in nature.
• Practice Tai Chi.
• Travel as much as possible.
• Find the positive in things.

Career Development

Consider career development in your New Year’s resolutions. Think of ways to find the best vehicle that will help you climb the ladder of success. 

Depending on where you are today, you may use some of these ideas to advance your career.

• Build a personal brand.
• Enroll in a career development course.
• Read about career leap.
• Shift career.
• Start a business.
• Write a book.
• Start a podcast.
• Publish a vlog.
• Do a radio program.
• Get certified.
• Do keynote speaking.
• Join professional associations.
• Start a professional association.
• Enroll in post-graduate courses.
• Learn marketing.
• Enroll in a public speaking course.
• Enroll in an image-building course.
• Get a driver’s license.
• Do volunteer work.
• Learn a new skill.
• Learn social dancing.
• Do more networking.
• Join a Rotary club.
• Join a Toastmasters club .
• Join a theater group.
• Interview VIPs.
• Hold an event for my industry.

There are many things that we can do about work. People who are more intentional about how to improve work are more likely to succeed. A New Year’s Resolution is like a seed that will grow if you will tend to it. 

Here are examples of New Year’s Resolution ideas that may inspire you to work better in 2023.

• Develop my leadership skills.
• Improve my ability to delegate.
• Study how to manage people.
• Enroll for an MBA Degree.
• Develop communication skills.
• Benchmark with other leaders.
• Improve creative thinking skills.
• Improve decision-making skills.
• Stop procrastinating.
• Find ways to improve the work process.
• Build business acumen.
• Build positive relationships.
• Work to get a promotion.
• Work on a “Future Resume”.
• Don’t sweat the small stuff.
• Improve work-life balance.
• Build my personal brand.
• Give credit where credit is due.
• Expand my network.
• Use a second brain to store my knowledge.
• Quit complaining.
• Stay out of office politics.
• Work on my professional development plan.
• Set personal goals.
• Embark on personal ventures.
• Work on time management.
• Become a public speaker.
• Write a book about my profession.
• Start a podcast to serve my industry.
• Improve business writing skills.
• Improve presentation skills.
• Create new products for clients.
• Improve services for clients.
• Be more understanding.

What is a New Year’s Resolution?

A New Year’s Resolution is a declaration of what a person intends or resolves to do at the beginning of the year. Typically, people decide to stop doing undesirable traits or behaviors, continue doing good practices, and start working on personal goals or improving behaviors.

When you ask Filipinos, more than half will say they have New Year’s Resolution. About 1/3 say that they have written resolutions. You will find 100 examples of New Year’s Resolutions below.

Nearly half of those who don’t make New Year’s Resolution say it does not work.

Importance of New Year’s Resolution

Most people think that they need to do more these past years. The Covid-19 pandemic, for two years, made us anxious about the future. I remember that the New Year of 2021 was the first time most people stayed home. In January 2022, we recorded the highest number of Covid-19 infections.

But 2023 promises a better year. And once again, people talk about New Year’s Resolutions. And that’s good news.

There are mixed opinions as to the importance of resolutions. And I understand why.

Some people failed to continue what they started. Or they missed many opportunities of doing what they believed they should have done many New Year’s resolutions ago.

In 1996, Carlo declared that he would enroll again to finish his Master of Arts in Teaching. It was always a part of his New Year’s Resolutions. This year, he decided that pursuing it was of no use. The 30 units he earned will no longer be credited. He procrastinated. And procrastination sealed his fate, he believed.

A friend made a New Year’s Resolution to start jogging five years ago. So on January 4 last year, she started jogging around our neighborhood. She continued doing it for 15 more days. Then, she decided to pause for a week because of an important assignment. The one week became months. Yesterday, she said that she’d start again.

Thirty years ago, I “resolved” to write a book. I began with full enthusiasm, then eventually stopped. In Filipino, we call this habit Ningas Kugon. However, a friend commissioned me two years ago to write a book. I wrote that book in 16 days. I am confident I can write at least one book in 2023.

All New Year’s resolutions are aspirations for personal growth and development. And though you don’t have to wait for January 1 to start thinking about choosing the right things to do, a New Year’s resolution, as a tradition, reminds us about second chances, and the simple act of declaring our intentions helps us think deeply about the future.

Panata sa Bagong Taon

For Filipinos, a new year is a promise of a new life. It is more than just a day after December 31.

It is a fresh start.

In Filipino, New Year’s Resolution means panata sa bagong taon. It is not just an aspiration or a wish. It is a vow.

It is a fresh start. Whatever happened last year and the years before that have no hold on our future. We can choose to live the life we want.

Most New Year’s Resolutions aren’t fulfilled because of misunderstandings. But we will start behaving differently when we fully embrace that a new year is a fresh start and a resolution is a vow.

Why Some New Year’s Resolutions Don’t Work

I have already given you three reasons why New Resolutions don’t work. And I have also given you an idea of why it works. So allow me to expound and expand.

Procrastination

The lack of willpower makes us delay. Procrastination is a silent killer. It murders our dreams without our notice.

People think that there is always tomorrow. We only have today; tomorrow is not promised to anyone.

If something is significant, it must be done today.

A resolution is a vow; it is not just a wish. A wish is something that may happen someday. A vow is your business today.

Ningas Kugon

Have you noticed that lifetime gym memberships are sold for a 50 percent discount during December and January? That’s because many people overestimate themselves.

A lifetime gym membership often gets used in three months.

If you are in Quezon Memorial Circle in the early mornings, you will see thousands of joggers. Some of them start at 5 am. But, during the first six weeks of the year, you’ll notice that the numbers are five times more than usual.

Ningas kugon is a lot better than procrastination. Starting something is already tricky. But success is measured by how we finished, not by how we started our games.

Ningas Kugon is often the result of a lack of commitment, discipline, and momentum.

Lack of Commitment

A committed person dedicates his time to a cause that truly matters to him. Those who cannot commit fail again and again.

A committed person displays patience, persistence, and perseverance. You can only be that person when you believe you can make things happen. Without that belief, there is no urgency. Without that belief, you will allow your fear to delay or stop you as soon as you face your first challenge.

Consider that a resolution is a vow to your future self.

Lack of Discipline

I see that even the most motivated people need to honor their resolutions. They can start, but they need to learn how to finish.

They work on many things but only sometimes on the most important thing.

A person with discipline does what they value most every day. They don’t allow their circumstances to dictate their actions.

New Year’s resolutions are good for us. They are part of the solution. Unfortunately, they don’t work when people don’t have the discipline to execute them.

Lack of Momentum

People need more momentum to finish what they start. There needs to be more than just doing the first step to walking a thousand miles. You need to follow the first with another step, and you need to keep moving until you reach a thousand miles.

Followthrough makes a breakthrough.

To create momentum, you need focus, consistency, and action.

By telling you why resolutions often do not work, can you tell how to make them work?

People often write these New Year’s Resolution ideas. As I have mentioned, I used different methods to come up with my list, and brainstorming is just the first stage. If you will only copy any of these resolutions, it is more likely that you’ll do a ningas kugon.

Resolutions that get done are clear and compelling.

I will show you different ways to write clear and compelling New Year’s Resolutions.

A Journey to Personal Transformation

Overachievement: 3 Steps to Help Others Achieve Their Goals Faster

Start with Your Big Goals

19 Key Benefits of Leadership Training

6 Important Aspects of Personal Development

Personal Development Plan: The 4DX Framework (2024)

My 3 Words for 2023

Daig ng Maagap ang Masipag: Be A Proactive Hard Worker

These are the frequently asked questions that seldom get answers. If you want to get a better appreciation of these answers, you can read the whole article (if you have not yet done that).

Becoming a good person, working harder, and being more health conscious are Filipinos’ top 3 New Year’s resolutions. Becoming a good person is the most common topic in students’ New Year’s Resolution Essays. Working harder is our solution to having a good life. And being more health conscious may mean eating fruits and vegetables, losing weight, or gaining weight.

New Year’s Resolutions fail because of procrastination, ningas kugon, lack of clarity, lack of commitment, lack of discipline, and lack of momentum. Unfortunately, these are the same reasons my many goals fail too. Declaring what you resolve to stop, start, and continue doing is not enough; you need to follow through. A resolution, by definition, is a vow to do what you want to do no matter what.

The Tagalog for New Year’s Resolution is Panata sa Bagong Taon. A panata is a vow. For Filipinos, a new year celebration represents a fresh start. We vow to work harder to enjoy abundant lives.

Many people have changed their lives because they stick to their New Year’s resolutions. They kept their eyes on their aspirations and stuck to them. Though most who made New Year’s Resolutions stop working on them after six weeks, the problem is not in the resolutions but in the resolution of the person to make them happen. The intention to make change happen is the first step, which is a significant step to making change happen.

New Year’s Resolution Essay (Example)

As I have said, when I was in school, we were required to write our New Year’s Resolution essays in 200 words. I typically write more than that.

One way to write an essay is by using CONTINUE, STOP, and START. It is a very simple format that you anyone can follow.

The Year 2023 is a promise of a fresh start and bouncing forward. The last two years have been difficult because I could not go out. I was afraid, physically and psychologically.

The pandemic scare is not yet over. New variants of the virus appear. But for most of us vaccinated, there is confidence that we can finally fight the unknown.

There are things I know that I can change. And there are things that I must continue doing. My New Year’s Resolution is a manifesto, a declaration of what I want to continue, stop, and start doing in 2023.

CONTINUE I will continue to improve my skills in public speaking. Though I have been speaking for many years and earning money from it, there are many things that I need to learn. Public speaking turned my life around. And though there are many other opportunities to grow my business, I will continue speaking to inspire people and grow my business.

STOP I will stop spending time on Facebook, debating political issues with strangers, diehard supporters, and trolls. As much as I wanted to educate people and share with them what I know as a student of politics, I was doing it wrong.

Debating with strangers will not help. Adding my voice to a thousand who do not want to listen to each other won’t add value. I am not a follower. I am not a watcher.

I am a leader. And my platform is on the stage. I speak to lead, not just to add my voice.

I will expand my network to bring my message to many people. I will speak in schools to share my message with students and educators. I will talk at associations, conferences, and in company assemblies.

I will share a message of hope in my team-building programs, leadership training, and public seminars.

I will start speaking to change the world.

Mission Possible 2023

Your mission is to write your own New Year’s Resolution. Keep in mind that it is not just a wish. It is a panata , a vow that you have to your future self.

I recommend that you make your resolution visual. Take it seriously. Convert it into a personal development plan. Execute it. Then, teach others how to do it well.

About The Author

Jef Menguin

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The new year means new beginnings — and new resolutions. Whether your students hope to become stronger readers or aim to be more compassionate toward one another, the new year is the perfect time to help them reflect upon what they need to do to achieve their goals.

These 31 new year writing prompts will inspire your students to reflect on the past year, set realistic goals and resolutions, and look ahead to a bright future to make 2024 even more successful!

1. What are your resolutions for this new year?

2. Why is it important to make new year’s resolutions?

3. What was the best thing that happened to you this past year?

4. What are you most looking forward to this new year?

5. This year will be a year of…

6. In what ways were your kind to your friends, family, and teachers this past year?

7. What can you do this new year to be a good friend?

8. What can you do this new year to show gratitude for your friends, family, and teachers?

9. This new year, I’m grateful for…

10. This new year, I can’t wait to…

11. What new adventures would you like to go on this year?

12. Can you describe your most memorable new year?

13. Why is the new year important to you?

14. Have you made a new year’s resolution before? What was it?

15. Does your family have any new year’s traditions? What are they?

16.  What can you do to make this new year even more special than last?

17.  Before this year ends, I will…

18.  The best book I read last year was ________ because…

19.  The book I’m most looking forward to reading this year is ________ because…

20.  This new year, I can’t wait to learn about…

21.  This new year, I hope I’m able to…

22.  What will you need to do to achieve your goals and keep your resolutions in the new year?

23.  What can we do as a class this new year to be more kind to one another?

24.  How can your classmates and teachers help you achieve your goals and resolutions?

25.  How can you help your classmates and teachers achieve their goals and resolutions?

26.  In what ways can you practice empathy this year?

27.  Describe a time when you helped a classmate or teacher. How did you feel afterward?

28. What was the most fun part of the year in class for you?

29. What are you most excited to do in class next year?

30. What can you do next year to be helpful at home and at school?

31. What was the most interesting thing you’ve learned this year?

Combining daily writing exercises with extended class or small-group discussion will help your students set realistic, yet meaningful, goals to make the new year even more successful than the last. By encouraging your students to really reflect on the new year and what it means to make and keep resolutions, they’ll be prepared to overcome any challenge they may encounter along the way — and help their friends and classmates do the same!

Shop workbooks that encourage writing skills below. You can find all books and activities — including writing workbooks and other writing resources — at  The Teacher Store .

Want more great content? Click  here  to subscribe to our Teacher Newsletter and get teaching ideas delivered right to your inbox. 

50 New Year’s Resolution Ideas and Goals for the Best 2023

It’s that time of year, when the gyms are flooded, cigarette sales decline and the local dog shelter gets overwhelmed with potential volunteers. As the year nears its end, we begin reflecting on the past 12 months we are about to leave behind. And after having contemplated all of those things, we naturally start planning the creative and amazing goals we want to achieve in the new year to come.

Just in case you don’t know where to start, below is the top New Year’s resolution ideas. Some of them may be familiar and already jotted down on a piece of paper or even on your bucket list , while others may be exactly what you needed to make as a resolution but hadn’t come around to thinking about. Either way, you will find all these examples to be inspirational and meaningful, some will be challenging and others will even be fun.

The Best New Year’s Resolution Ideas: The Ultimate Goals List to Start the Year

What is a new year’s resolution.

When we speak of a New Year’s Resolution, we are talking about promises we make to ourselves for the brand new year. Things we want to achieve like saving money and losing weight, but often struggle to commit to doing. This is a tradition that supposedly traces back all the way to Ancient Rome, specifically having to do with Janus, a two-faced God that January was named after. Because one face was looking forward and the other back, the Romans took it as a symbol of one face representing the previous year and the other looking into the future year, thought to give forgiveness for previous year’s wrongdoings if the Romans achieved more in the year to follow. 

1. ✧ Adopt a Pet

There are so many incredible benefits to adopting a pet. They’ll enrich your life in numerous ways, from helping you to destress, to getting you moving more, to giving you someone to nurture and add meaning to your life. Not to mention, pets are perhaps the best cure for loneliness. And in turn, you’ll give a loyal and an innocent animal a loving home they absolutely deserve – and there are so many pets out there just waiting to be adopted by YOU! You can start your search for your new friend at Petfinder .

2. ✦ Answer the 365 Thought Provoking Questions

Sometimes all you need to get to know yourself (or someone else) better is to ask the right questions. With the 365 Thought Provoking Questions there is one for every day of the year. They are designed to inspire self-discovery, empowerment and happiness. 

3. ✦ Be a Mentor

By mentoring someone, you are not only offering them valuable insight and expertise into your industry, which is also the career path they’re interested in, but you’ll be there for them for emotional support, motivation and guidance. Though it may not sound appealing to everyone at first to spend your time and resources this way, you’ll certainly receive an amazing feeling out of helping someone out this intensively, as well as their eternal gratitude. And who knows, you just may be building a lifelong connection by mentoring someone.

4. ✦ Be an Organ Donor 

Becoming an organ donor is an example of one of the most beautiful things you could do for someone and one of the most meaningful New Year’s resolution goals any of us could have. After all, it helps save lives! There are numerous organs you can donate while alive: one kidney, a portion of your liver, and even a lung, as well as a portion of your pancreas or intestine. Additionally, by registering as an organ donor, even after your own passing, you can still help someone who’s sick and in urgent need of a healthy organ which you may possess.

5. ✦ Be Happier

Unsurprisingly, this is an item that you can find on most people’s New Years Resolution idea lists. At the end of the day, we all just want to be happy, so of course it’s always at the top of our goals. However, as simple as it is, it can be simultaneously frustrating to get a grasp of. Healthline has some easy ways to get started on reaching this goal and the 5 habits of happy people will also help.

6. ✧ Be More Cultured

Although not as commonly listed down, being more cultured is something many of us also strive for. Whether it’s been a conscious effort or not up to this point, it’s an excellent resolution to write down on your list; it’s quite meaningful but also incredibly easy to achieve. Some ways to become more cultured is by watching more documentaries and classic movies, learning another language, exploring through the local museums, and, of course, travel, travel, travel! 

7. ✧ Become More Decisive

Becoming more decisive is another incredibly great New Year’s Resolution to make when you think of your life for the long term. Most of us aren’t as decisive as we could be and while there’s nothing inherently wrong with that, sometimes the exact thing our life needs is for us to let go of our fears and make that firm decision to do something, no matter how risky it may sound. Success’s 11 genius tips to becoming more decisive   will help to give you the power of deciding at the strike of the clock of midnight on NYE!

8. ✧ Carve Out “Me Time”

It’s so easy in this world where we’re always on our phones, doing long hours at work, and consistently have this or that social event to partake in, and so on to forget even thinking about making time for just me, myself & I . This is especially true, if you don’t live alone or have kids—sometimes you need to get creative! But although we are social animals, it is actually incredibly important for our happiness and wellbeing to sometimes make time for simply me and me alone. It can be something as simple as unplugging all your electronics for the day or it can be something a lot more extravagant like taking yourself on a solo spa weekend getaway.

9. ✧ Create a Financial Budget (& Stick to it!)

Aside from being happier, creating and sticking to your budget is usually at the top of New Year’s Resolution Ideas. Although there’s no need for us to live our lives 100% without small treats and impulse buys, there are definite benefits to having a specific financial budget. Some of these benefits are figuring out exactly where your money goes to, therefore helping you organize your spending so that saving money for the big things you want becomes more attainable, and it’ll also enable you to create a “safety net” of sorts for when a bad day or an unexpected big bill gets sent your way. Basically, by budgeting you’ll be able to stress over finances a lot less!

10. ✧ Develop a Daily Skincare Routine

If you’re yet to start with a daily skincare routine, now’s the time to start! Trust me, your skin will majorly thank you for it, and in turn you’ll thank yourself for having started. Figure out your skin type and then begin discovering products that’ll be the perfect treat for it. Sephora has a ton of top selling products, but some of the best brands to check out are La Mer , Farmacy Beauty and Drunk Elephant .

11. ✧ Do a Charity Walk/Run

Here’s another one for the New Year’s Resolution Ideas that you maybe haven’t ever thought to add to your list yet, but totally should do so now! Not only is it a great way to get active, but you’re helping out a good cause. You won’t have to do a lot of googling around to find a nice one to attend.

Check  Active’s 5k Race Finder  for runs near you and use this guide to start preparing:  How to Train, Run & Finish Your First 5k Race

12. ✦ Do a Random Act of Kindness

Random acts of kindness are some of the most fulfilling and sweetest things you could ever do, especially when it is done for a complete stranger. Donate food, pay the bridge toll for the person behind you or feed someone’s parking meter—the possibilities are endless. If you have trouble thinking of ideas, read my post for plenty of options: 75 Random Acts of Kindness Ideas: Examples of Kind Things to Do .

13. ✦ Donate Books, Toys and/or Clothing

Christmas is all about giving, and giving a gift to a child in need is one of the most rewarding things to do this holiday—a heartwarming addition to your Christmas bucket list! Each year I typically collect toys at  my Italian restaurant  to donate to  Toys for Tots , but there are many other places in need too. Try your local homeless shelter, children’s hospital or fire department. Plus, many shops and businesses will have Christmas Angel trees, where the ornaments hung are wishes from kids in need.

Don’t know what the hottest toys are this season? Here’s Amazon’s list of the  Top 100 Toys .

14. ✦ Dream Bigger

Perhaps the simplest resolution to make is this, because technically it doesn’t require any tangible action from you, just a creative mind. By letting yourself dream bigger, you find yourself bringing more positivity and confidence in your life, thus drawing success towards you, as well. And why not dream big? We all have a right to be our happiest selves in this life!

Hint: a great way to dream bigger is by creating your bucket list! Need help? Read How to Make a Bucket List in 5 Easy Steps .

15. ✧ Drink Less Alcohol

This definitely seems like one that’s on almost everyone’s resolution lists? It’s such a classic; there are events and reasons where drinking alcohol is fine, but many of us probably find ourselves indulging in it just a tad bit more than need be. But I have faith that if you truly want to do this, and add it to your resolutions, you’ll be able to accomplish it!

16. ✦ Drink More Water

It’s surprising how many of us also struggle with drinking the adequate amount of water a day. You don’t need to entirely quit all the alcohol, soda, and coffee, but committing to drinking the generally suggested amount of water is an excellent ambition to take on. It won’t take you long to notice its positive effects, either.

17. ✦ Earn More Money

Usually the resolution people make is one that calls for saving money, but what if you turned this idea on its head a little and vouched to earn more money instead? You’d still end up with more money in your pocket, and that’s always a nice feeling. You may have to hustle for it, but you may also get to your goal simply by investing in some bonds or equivalent.

If you need ideas for how to make extra money, Entrepreneur has 50 lucrative ways to make money . Or do as I did and start a blog! Don’t know how? Read my article: Become a Blogger: How to Start a Successful Blog in 6 Easy Steps

18. ✧ End a Toxic Relationship

One of the biggest fears we all have is the fear of ending up alone. Sadly, because of that fear, we commit to and stay in relationships that do not serve us and may even be toxic – with friendships as well – simply because we’re scared we’ll never find anyone else. But how about this time we make a promise, a resolution, to ourselves to be brave and end that relationship and let life show us just how rewarding it is for those of us with bravery.

19. ✦ Explore a New Hobby

Picking up a new hobby, however fleeting or lasting, is a great way to challenge yourself. It’ll also bring along some additional positivity and may introduce you to new cool people, as well. Additionally, it may teach you new things about yourself and your abilities.

There’s dozens of different types of hobbies to test out: check out these our Hobbies Bucket List: The 100+ Most Popular Types to Try

20. ✦ Face a Fear

It can be facing your fear of flying or the fear of big groups, or it can be something entirely else. Whatever your fears are, choose one of them this year to face and hopefully get over. Yes, this is a scary one to complete, but you will immensely thank yourself for trying – and hopefully succeeding!

One of the best ways to get over your fear is to have someone special by your side to encourage and support you while you are facing it head on. So, hike up that mountain peak, go on that roller coaster or swim in the ocean.

21. ✧ Feed a Person in Need

Sadly, some people have been dealt a harder hand than others, and may have found themselves not knowing where their next meal will come from. Helping someone to get themselves completely out of trouble may be out of our reach, but offering even a little bit of ourselves to those less fortunate can go a long way to build their spirits. 

22. ✧ Find Your Work/Life Balance

There’s no doubt about it that work is an important part of our life, as it is usually what pays for everything. However, for the sake of our happiness and wellbeing, it is important for there to be a balance – our work can’t be our whole life! Thus, if you feel as if too much of your life at the moment is spent at work or thinking about work, this would be an excellent resolution to commit yourself to.

23. ✧ Get a Complete Physical

When was the last time you got a physical exam, let alone went through a complete physical one? Exactly! So often we don’t fully acknowledge the physical state of our bodies if there are no obvious signs of illness or injury, but it’d be so much better if we had an actual document to prove that. Or, in case there is something we should know about, by getting a complete physical we may be fortunate enough to catch it early.

To go one step further, you may want to consider taking an at-home food sensitivity test and/or an at-home allergen test .

24. ✧ Get into Shape

By getting into shape, you’ll likely be increasing your body’s physical wellness state for years to come. And not only that, but it will do amazing things to your emotional wellbeing as well, plus it can help endure stress better! Getting into shape also doesn’t have to mean living off of salads and vigorous training; starting off with small and simple changes in what you eat plus finding some form of exercise – whether that be swimming, dancing or lifting weights – will take you a long way.

25. ✧ Get More Sleep

How many of us actually prioritize our eight hours of sleep? Most of us probably don’t, stating that we simply don’t have enough time for it, despite of the fact that sleep is crucial for our brain to function correctly. With more sleep in your schedule, you’ll be able to retain information and memories better, be able to focus better, feel and eat healthier, and even feel less stressed.

26. ✦ Get Organized

You can get as specific with this New Year’s Resolution as you want to. Maybe it’ll be something simple as that one messy room in your house or your work desk, maybe it’s a proper clean-up of your house, or maybe you’ll want to get organized with your life as a whole. Whatever it is you want to add organization to, you’ll feel much more free and less stressed once it’s in order.

27. ✦ Get Out of Debt

Though getting into debt in the first place isn’t at all a shameful thing to do, since it can pay for our education or a house or something else huge in our lives, getting out of it often becomes much more complicated. By aiming to get out of debt, you’ll eventually end up with more spendable income, a better credit score, less risk for any future debt you may have to get, and of course less stress.

28. ✦ Give Blood

Thanks to my fear of needles, my heart beat uncontrollably when I decided to give blood. But my mother, who had given blood many times before, convinced me that the feeling of saving lives would far outweigh the fear of that needle piercing my poor, unscathed arm.  And she was right.  A little pinch in the arm is worth knowing your blood donation can possibly save three lives!

Read about my experience:  Giving Blood: What to Expect & 5 Benefits of Donating

29. ✧ Improve an Important Relationship

Whether it’s with your parents, your siblings, a different relative, a friend or a significant other, we all always have at least one important relationship that we could improve upon. Do something special together, but also simply remember to nurture it regularly. Lifehack has 25 hacks for how to improve upon any kind of relationship in your life.

30. ✧ Learn a New Language

You can learn a new skill at any age, so why not learn a language? It can be a fun and interactive experience for the whole family. Perhaps you can learn the language of a dream destination where you hope to go on a vacation someday? Dream big!

Rosetta Stone  and  Duolingo  are two great programs to get you started.

31. ✦ Learn a New Skill

You may have heard the saying “knowledge is power” and it’s absolutely true! Learning something new is an amazing way to challenge yourself and especially your brain, plus it can turn out to be surprisingly useful later in life. Think for a moment what type of skills you may secretly be desiring to learn – and then commit to learning one!

32. ✦ Learn to Cook

If you haven’t yet picked up cooking, now’s the high time. You don’t have to be a creative wizard in the kitchen to make some simple and delicious meals, and just the simple joy from having made your own dish will make it taste so much better than a ready-go meal you’d get from the store.

Here are a ton of dishes to start your culinary journey with! Or try one of mine:

• Best-Ever Homemade Beef & Mushroom Chili Recipe
• Recipe: Italian Sausage & Oven Roasted Eggplant Farro Risotto

33. ✦ Make a New Friend

Even if you already have a pretty great group of friends, you won’t exactly lose out on much by making another new friend. And especially if you’ve been feeling a little lonely and like some company would do good, a new friend just might be the cure for it. By making new friends, you open yourself to new adventures, learning new ways of thinking, and so many more joyous things. Not to mention you may have to get out of your comfort zone to meet new people in the first place!

34. ✧ Practice Patience

After all, patience is a virtue, and therefore also an invaluable skill to possess. It may perhaps even be the most important resolution on this list, as many of the other resolutions require you to have patience to be able to complete them.

35. ✧ Quit a Bad Habit

Maybe you eat junk food too much, smoke, bite your nails, drink excessively, procrastinate, never show up on time, and the list goes on. And maybe you recognize them as a bad habit you’d like to quit, but have struggled with committing to thus far in life. Jot down this resolution to your list, either as a general point or with the specific habit you hope to quit, and check Healthline for directions on how to make it reality.

36. ✦ Quit Negative Self Talk

Have you ever taken a pause to reflect on the way you address yourself? Do you confidently cheer yourself on or do you engage in negative tones? If it’s the latter, then now is the time to stop, because it can be detrimental to your mental health, goal setting capabilities, and so many more things. Challenging my negative thoughts was one of the main things that helped me to overcome anxiety and live my dreams.

37. ✦ Read More Books

While most of us enjoyed literature in our younger days, as we become adults post-studies, shockingly many of us seem to drop reading books altogether. However, whether you prefer fiction or fact, it’s time to make a change and start reading more books again. There are numerous benefits to this, only few of which are the facts that it’s amazing exercise for your brain, vocabulary and even conversation skills.

Amazon even has hundreds of free books  to download to your Kindle. Don’t have a Kindle? No problem, just  download the Kindle app  to your smartphone or tablet (you can even download  my book on Amazon — shameless plus! ). Like to flip the pages of a book? Hit up your local thrift store where you can typically pick up a paperback for under a dollar.

If you love the classics then check of the  Classic Books Bucket List: 25 of the Best Must-Read Novels

38. ✦ Reduce Stress

Some stress is a normal part of life, but being stressed too often can lead to all sorts of physical diseases as well as emotional and mental problems. Thankfully, it is possible to reduce stress without having to drop the big things in your life cold turkey. I’ve already laid out a few resolutions here that’ll aid in reducing stress, but these 16 more stress relievers are some easy quick fixes in the moment.

39. ✦ Save a 3-Month Emergency Fund 

This can be a tricky one to get started with if your income is currently at a level that doesn’t allow for much saving to begin with. But if you have any money that you can stand to put aside on a monthly basis, then saving up a 3-month emergency fund just might prove to be a life saver. It will be of serious help in situations where you have a sudden large expense or get laid off or something else similar, without having to dip into your other savings, investments, credit cards or take out loans and so on.

40. ✦ Send a Care Package to a Soldier

Far away from their homeland and loved ones, and out in the open, soldiers sacrifice so much for their country. By sending a soldier a care package, even if it’s someone you don’t personally know, you are showing them a great gesture of generosity, love and thanks. Also, this will be amazing in helping boost their wellbeing and morale while deployed and in duty.

It was one of my most memorable bucket list checks off my things to do on you birthday bucket list! And you can get some ideas of what to send and tips from my article .

41. ✧ Spend More Time in Nature

Many of us have probably at one point in our live said how we’re not nature people, as in people who love to spend time in the middle of nowhere surrounded by nothing but nature for miles. And that’s fine; not all of us can love camping or hiking or the sort. However, there are many benefits to spending more time in nature, even by taking a simple walk through a forest, for our emotional, mental and physical wellbeing.

42. ✧ Start a Gratitude Journal

Over the years there have been many studies on the positive effects of having an attitude of gratitude. Studies suggest that people who practice gratitude have higher levels of positive emotions, a stronger immune system, feel less lonely, and have more happiness. Do you need more reasons that that?

Start each morning by listing five things you are grateful for. In the beginning it will probably be a struggle to come up with a mere five, being wrapped up in a world full of fear can disguise the good in your life. Think hard. Did you just drink a deliciously warm cup of coffee? Or did you connect with a friend by text? Or enjoy a heartwarming movie on television? There is always something to be grateful for—always.

Need help with coming up with things to be grateful for? Read the article  Being Grateful: 100 Things to Be Thankful For Today

43. ✧ Start Eating Healthier

You absolutely don’t need to drop treat, junk food and alcohol altogether if you don’t want to, but we’d all definitely benefit from eating at least a little bit healthier. Number one reason for why we vouch to start eating healthier is, of course, losing weight, but that’s not the sole reason why this is so beneficial to you. Eating healthier will also reduce the risk of numerous diseases, as well as improve your memory and overall mood, among many other benefits.

44. ✧ Stay Present

Staying present means simply that; you’re fully in this current moment, not dwelling in the past or dreaming of the future. This is otherwise also referred to as mindfulness, or staying mindful. One great life improvement that could come out of staying present is improved social skills and interpersonal relationships, because you’ll not only be paying better attention to whoever you’re interacting with, but you’ll also find yourself more confident, less stressed out and lower level of self-consciousness. Not convinced? Positive Psychology has even more reasons why you should stay present .

45. ✧ Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

Easier said than done, but at the end of the day we hardly accomplish anything besides a sour mood and lack of confidence by comparing ourselves to others. Imagine how much you could accomplish if you spent that time and energy focusing on yourself instead! Tiny Buddha shared 13 things to do instead of comparing yourself to others  that could help you reach this goal.

46. ✧ Stop Complaining

We all need those moments where we need to vent out the negative feelings, thoughts and memories of something that’s bothering us. Complaining rarely ever actually fixes anything, however–it simply ensures that bad mood you’re in persists. You’ll be surprised by how quickly your overall mood will improve once you start tackling down your complaining habits!

47. ✦ Stop Judging Others

Not everyone makes life decisions that we agree upon, and it may lead us to giving them some serious side eye, or even throwing a judging comment their way. But what if we spent the time we use to judge others on simply minding our own business instead? Perhaps you’ll feel lighter, more understanding, happier and even like yourself better.

48. ✦ Stop Procrastinating

Procrastinating is a habit a lot of us share with each other. It’s as if it simply comes naturally to us! But if we managed to stop procrastinating, we may actually accomplish more and in better quality, and be much more successful and happy in the long term. Here are some cool hacks to decreasing the amount of procrastinating you do.

49. ✧ Switch Up Your Daily Routine

You may have already cooked up a daily routine that absolutely kicks ass and therefore wonder why this is even among all the New Year goals. However, as surprising as it may sound, there’s always something positive that comes from breaking the status quo of your routine, even if it’s a productive and comfortable one. Your brain will love the challenge, you may even increase your productivity or comfortability in ways you didn’t realize were possible, and other positive effects. And hey, if it doesn’t work for some reason, you can always switch back!

50. ✦ Travel More

Perhaps you’ve dreamed of more travel in your life for years already, but haven’t made it happen yet? Maybe you haven’t even thought to travel much before? Well, now’s the time to change all of that! It’s guaranteed to decrease stress while increasing creativity, and it will definitely make you happy, both in the moment of travel and when you’re dreaming and planning the next trip.

Don’t know where to go? My Ultimate Travel Bucket List may be able to help.

51. ✦ Try Meditation

Here’s one way you can spice up your daily routine a little bit! It may take a moment of perseverance to get meditation plugged into your routine, but it’s not an activity that takes a lot of time or energy out of a day, although offers you a lot in return. Meditating will make you more grounded, mindful, peaceful, focused, and the list goes on and on. Zen Habits  is one excellent tool to use when you’re starting out with meditation.

52. ✦ Turn Your Passion into a Side Hustle or Career

They say you never work a day in your life when your work is something you love and are passionate about (that’s how I feel about blogging about my bucket list!). It may be incredibly scary to take that step and start actually trying out to make a living off of your passion, but trust me, it is beyond worth it! Maybe you would like to test the waters by making a side hustle from it, and then, once you’re ready and convinced it’s possible, dive off the deep end and turn it into a flourishing career.

If you think that blogging might be a part of turning your passion into a career, then read my tips: Become a Blogger: How to Start a Successful Blog in 6 Easy Steps .

53. ✦ Unplug for a Week

Another surprisingly scary one for New Year’s Resolution Ideas is this one, especially when so many of us struggle to even unplug properly for a day. But our struggle with it is all the more reason why you should totally commit to having this as a resolution. You’ll be more present, you’ll find yourself comparing your life to others’ way less, you’ll likely be more relaxed without the constant buzz of the apps, and whichever other discoveries you may come across. It’s up to you whether you simply unplug from social media for the week, or if you’ll unplug from technology in general!  

54. ✦ Volunteer

During every time of the year there are always people or pooches in need of some extra assistance. Spread some joy by helping in some way. You can volunteer at a soup kitchen or bring happiness to a children’s hospital. Pick a cause close to your heart and spend the day giving. Find opportunities near you on the United Way  or  Volunteer Match  website.

55. ✧ Walk 10,000 Steps Every Day

Especially if you strongly dislike exercising but want to get fitter, walking 10,000 steps every day is a decent replacement, at least to an extent. It’ll help you get healthier, maintain that health, and may also result in some weight loss. Completing 10,000 steps a day every day may not be a simple feat, however, so you may also find yourself facing a challenge of how to complete this resolution, which only makes it more worthwhile.

56. ✦ Write a Letter to Your Future Self

It’s up to you how you’ll write a letter to your future self , but the typical topics contain telling about your current life situation as well as your dreams and hopes for the future. It’ll be so much fun for you to open up the letter in the future, on a date of your choosing, and see how much you’ve changed and which of your dreams you’ve by then achieved. It may even work as a great reminder to get back to working on those dreams your younger self dared to dream.

Make your letter even more special by picking some pretty paper (like this  Japanese Stationary ) and handwriting it.

As corny as it may sound, at the strike of the clock at midnight, marking the change of the year, you’ve received a new, clean state in front of you. Although we may not be able to control everything that happens in our lives and the world around us, we ought to make the most of what we do have control over. Hopefully many of these New Year’s Resolution Ideas and examples resonated with you and you’ve come up with an amazing list of resolutions that you’re excited to start tackling come next year. Cheers to making the best of the upcoming 365 days!

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through my links, I earn a commission that helps to keep this blog running—at no extra cost to you. For more information read my full disclosure .

More bucket list ideas.

Christmas Movie Bucket List: 100 Best Films of All Time to Watch New Year’s Eve Bucket List: 30 Fun Things to Do on NYE Halloween Bucket List: 30+ Fun Activities & Things to Do The Ultimate Bucket List: 1000+ Ideas & Goals Couples Bucket List: 68 Fun Activities & Romantic Things to Do Family Bucket List: 65 Fun Activities & the Best Things to Do with Kids At Home Bucket List: 50 Fun Things to Do Without Leaving the House Best Friend Bucket List: 50 Fun Things to Do With Your BFF Teen Bucket List: 85 Fun Things Every Teenager Should Do Board Games Bucket List: 50 of the All Time Best Ones to Play

7 thoughts on “50 New Year’s Resolution Ideas and Goals for the Best 2023”

Thank God I stumbled apon your article especially this period of time. I was honestly looking for a change in life and thank god I’ve found it in the right time

Hi Annette,

Great post! I try to follow through with my new year’s resolution every year, but it is a lot tougher than it looks. With your amazing ideas, I will be picking something simple and will try my best to follow the whole year. I will also be sharing this article with people in my network to inspire them for the same. Thanks a lot for sharing these lovely ideas with everyone.

Thank you, glad to know that I helped you with your resolution for 2022. :)

I like your article.

Hi, really your content is very amazing.

Best blog of the website.

I have read your article, it was quite amazing and interesting to read. Will recommend this article to everyone out there.

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Student Opinion

Have You Made Any New Year’s Resolutions?

Do you find it easy or difficult to set goals and achieve them?

By Shannon Doyne

Are you using the New Year as a starting point for any changes you’d like to make to your life, routines or attitudes? If so, how will you motivate yourself to keep your resolutions? How do you expect your efforts to go this year?

In the Opinion essay “ One Resolution You Might Just Keep ,” Garret Keizer, a poet, memoirist and editor, contemplates the whole point of making annual resolutions in light of his own 70th birthday. The essay begins:

If resolution makers wanted a patron saint, they could do worse than Samuel Johnson (1709-84), a lifelong resolver and by his own admission a lifelong failure at keeping his resolutions. Reading his diaries, we may sigh in recognition as time after time — at the New Year, at Easter and on his birthday — Johnson renews his intentions to rise early, to be more studious, to be more moderate in his intake of food and drink, and laments his neglect of those same intentions in the year past. “I have now spent 55 years in resolving,” he wrote on his birthday in 1764, “having from the earliest time almost that I can remember been forming schemes of a better life. I have done nothing; the need of doing therefore is pressing, since the time of doing is short.” I have these words in mind as I greet a New Year that will mark my 70th birthday by yet again resolving, as Johnson did, to rise earlier, resist hurtful thoughts and keep a journal. I’ll also resolve to check my email less compulsively and my blood pressure more often. To reduce the amount of sodium in my diet. To be a more faithful friend and a more attentive parent and spouse. To listen more than I talk. Over the years Johnson made readjustments to his program, especially to his rising time, a perennial challenge for someone prone to indolence, chronic depression and late hours. “I have, all my life long, been lying till noon,” he remarked to a dinner host, “yet I tell all young men, and tell them with great sincerity, that nobody who does not rise early will ever do any good.” Those young men (and women too, several of whom he helped toward publication) must have laughed among themselves at all that their habitually late-sleeping mentor had managed to accomplish in spite of his own advice. They would have cited his elegant Rambler essays, his groundbreaking edition of Shakespeare’s plays and his monumental “A Dictionary of the English Language,” remnants of which survive in any dictionary you’re likely to pick up today. It’s now commonplace in English literature courses to speak of the mid-to-late 18th century as “the age of Johnson.” His contemporaries would not have been surprised. For Johnson, however, the critical question was not whether he’d accomplished great things but whether he’d accomplished them in proportion to his talents and his limited time. He was hyperconscious of mortality — on his watch was engraved “The night cometh, when no man can work” — and painfully frustrated by his seeming inability to keep the simplest promise to himself. Like almost everyone I know, he felt he should be accomplishing much more than he did.

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:

Were you reminded of anyone you know as you read about Samuel Johnson’s concern for how he used his time and potential, as well as his tendency to give advice he himself didn’t follow? Were you reminded of yourself?

Mr. Keizer says of Johnson, “Like almost everyone I know, he felt he should be accomplishing much more than he did.” How does that statement make you feel? Do you think most people, even the most accomplished among us, feel like they have not done enough or that there are changes they need to make to improve their lives?

What are some of your short- and long-term goals? Which of your habits will help you reach them? What do you think you might have to change about your life to make your dreams come true?

Do you wait for significant events — the New Year, birthdays or the beginning of the school year — to set new goals? Or do you prefer to make small and incremental changes throughout the year?

What advice would you give someone who is frustrated by their slow progress in reaching their goals, or who struggles to keep their resolutions? Why?

In a related Opinion essay , Tish Harrison Warren, an Anglican priest, writes:

The point of resolutions shouldn’t be to add another task to our busy lives or another brick on the crushing and cruel burden to ‘do better.’ The point is that renewal is always possible, and with a large dollop of grace we can freely try new things; we can continue to grow and change.

What do you think about these ideas? Does making resolutions remind you that you can always change and grow? You might also read the suggestions the author has compiled from people who offer ways one might cultivate spiritual changes at this time of year. Which piece of advice most speaks to you?

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.

Struggling to keep New Year's resolutions? Here's how to actually set doable ones for 2023.

When choosing something to promise, we tend to forget the resolution must be accompanied by a plan to do or not do something. It’s that simple.

Where did the tradition of making a New Year’s resolution come from?

It’s an ancient practice. And the celebrations that once went along with turning the old year into the new are not only ancient but often dangerous.

For instance, the Danes jumped off chairs to "leap" into the new year. In Spain, the frivolity involved eating 12 grapes at or before bedtime.

In contemporary times, some celebrate the new year by eating black-eyed peas, if you can stand them. We also drink bubbly and find someone to kiss as the clock strikes midnight.

Pace yourself. We have time. 

Our holiday observances often include partying into the wee hours, a practice some law enforcement folks call amateur night on the roads.

This is because many people don’t know how to pace themselves. Sadly, we’ve all been there.

It’s not likely many celebrants will change their habits and play it safe with doable resolutions this New Year’s Eve.

Yet, we can try to get real in one aspect. It’s time for each of us to think long and hard when we set a New Year’s resolution.

The BEST 2023 Predictions: Musk kills Twitter, Kanye babbles, DeSantis labeled a toad

Year after year, many of us make a promise we can’t keep, even if we are clear-headed at decision time.

Realistically, how many of us can shed hundreds of pounds in a year? Is it likely we will successfully reinvent ourselves to become nicer or more gracious? Is it possible to turn over a new leaf and make measurable improvements in 365 days? Can anyone pay off all their credit cards and become free of debt in the new year?

Can you remember your 2022 resolutions? 

We know this because it’s certain very few of us remember what we promised for 2022. I know I can’t recall any resolution I’ve made over the years.

How about if we each resolve to set doable resolutions for 2023, ones that can improve our lives and the lives of others? We might have a shot at success if we put more thought into creating the resolution.

What in the world will 2023 bring?: Our USA TODAY Opinion team has wishes – and fears.

Let’s start with some simple commitments. We can promise to clean out the garage regularly, learn a foreign language, delete hundreds of ridiculous cellphone photos, go out weekly with friends, plant a garden, rescue a shelter pet, wash Mom’s car once a month or clean out the refrigerator.

These resolutions might not sound all that impressive. But if we get real with our commitments, we will have something to celebrate.

Let's start small 

After all these years of meaningless resolutions, I’m starting with the basics for 2023. I hereby commit to getting somewhat familiar with my own kitchen so I can try cooking, drink more water every day and consume less sugar and carbs.

Or these might be acceptable solid resolutions for me. Watch fewer YouTube videos; turn off the cellphone at funerals; keep researching my ancestry; make thrift shop purchases and stop buying new and shiny; quit moaning over the loss of the local Dillard’s store; purchase and read every book written by a friend or relative and be grateful for what I have. I basically must often stop to smell the roses.

At the end of next year, the success rate in making changes by setting believable resolutions can be impressive.

Ditch the pressure: Rethink your resolutions for the new year by making intentions instead

Oh, wait. It will be hard for me to smell the roses anytime soon since I killed two backyard rose bushes this past spring.

Guess I need to promise to move plant a garden higher up on the resolution list.

Happy new year!

Andrea Chancellor has more than 20 years' of experience in newspaper and magazine journalism, and 20 years in corporate public relations.

New Year’s Resolutions for Writers (2023 Edition)

The holiday cheer is peaking right now, and we at LivingWriter hope that everyone is having a blast with their vacation! After the year-long grind for your first drafts or final manuscripts or your month-long escapade with November’s NaNoWriMo , you deserve this break.

As the year comes to a close, we usually think of the new one that’s coming. What does 2023 have in store for you? What great things can you achieve for the next 12 months of your writing career?

To prepare for the next year, we have prepared 8 New Year’s resolutions for writers who are going into 2023 with hopes and promises of a better writing career.

2023 New Year’s Resolutions for Writers

Try a new genre.

You’ve spent 2022 wearing rose-colored glasses, writing the most beautiful romance between an artist and lawyer, or ex-convict and engineer, or singer and fan. Whichever pairing you thought up must have had everything work out for them (eventually). However, what if you switched gears for 2023?

You might be interested in exploring the idea of an artist becoming a lawyer, or an engineer/ex-convict clearing his name, or the real-life interactions of singers and their fans. Perhaps the third idea makes you shift from fiction to non-fiction entirely! 

If you feel like you’ve emptied your baskets on your genre, maybe it’s time to shift into a new one. 2023 may be the year for you to see if you might also hit it big outside of your comfort zone.

Meet Other Authors

The writing community is a vibrant group of passionate writers, and you should be able to find patches of those people near you. Interacting with like-minded people is a great way to take a break from writing, or take inspiration from them. 

Hang around local bookstores and other reading venues to meet people who share the same love for books and stories as you do, and share ideas about your next novel or simply socialize as people with common interests. 

You will find experience and advice fresh from veterans in the field, or maybe you will get to impart your fair share of tips and tricks of the trade to a less-experienced bunch. Either arrangement benefits everyone at the end of the day, so make it one of your New Year’s resolutions to meet other writers like yourself.

Do Good Research

The common advice is to “write what you know,” and it’s a piece of perfectly harmless advice if you’re trying to will a story into existence. However, simply writing from memory and stock knowledge will not suffice for another year anymore. You have to improve upon your current well of knowledge and expand it.

Maybe you were able to wing your previous stories without much rigor, but research is a crucial part of the writing process. Even though you may be writing fiction, you cannot hope to write an internally consistent fictional world if you don’t inform your worldbuilding with accurate real-life knowledge.

Of course, the rigor required to do research may vary on your genre, but that’s not an excuse to skimp on it at all. Readers are vicious: they will know if you don’t do your research.

Read (Even More) Widely

‘Tis the age-old saying to read as much as you write. After all, how will you learn new things and understand new concepts if you don’t read? However, for 2023, you should one-up 2022.

If you read 10 books in 2022, make it 15 in 2023. If you read 15, make it 20. Better yet, read one for each of the 52 weeks of 2023. Nothing else in the world makes a better writer than reading religiously.

Of course, you also need to make sure that you are reading productively. Take notes of certain styles and plot developments that you can study to improve upon your own.

Understand that You Will Write Badly

Our minds are not machines that can readily spit out amazing stories and words every time we ask of them. Most especially during the first draft of your manuscript, your mind will definitely screw up many times you’ll almost always hate the first draft.

However, at this point of the writing process, the most important thing is to get the story down. You don’t need it to be perfect the first time around, and we say that it shouldn’t be, anyway. Trying to make it perfect on the first draft is grueling, if not torturous. So much time is wasted on editing the story before it’s even finished. You will end up hating your story before you write the last paragraph.

If you internalize this 2023 that you can only produce masterpieces by iterating on your manuscript over and over, you will end up with a healthier and more productive writing process that has a better chance of getting a manuscript done and ready to be published.

Celebrate Progress as Much as Results

Tangent to the New Year’s resolutions above, you might often value the opinions of your readers. Of course, that’s not an inherently bad metric to use as a basis for your performance as a writer. However, not all your books and stories will be appreciated by everyone.

Thinking about the readers is important, and it is part of the writing process. However, as a writer, you shouldn’t place their opinions on a pedestal. The most important part of writing is the fact that you are writing down a story that you want to tell. That, in and of itself, is worthy of celebration as much as what others think of your stories.

Write, Even When You Want To

Even if you are a pantser , a professional writer does not just write when inspiration strikes. As one of the most important New Year’s resolutions for 2023, you should write, especially when you don’t want to. Writing is still work, and words don’t manifest themselves in your draft if you don’t put in the effort.

You need to understand that good writing is not the first one that you put down to words, but the one that you worked hard to become good. So write, even when you want to.

Use LivingWriter to Make Your Life Easier

Of course, we at LivingWriter hope that one of your New Year’s resolutions would include you trying out LivingWriter for 2023. We offer quite a lot of features: we have Outlines and Chapters, Plot Boards, Story Elements, Research Boards, templates… You get the idea: we have it all here, and we’re still growing!

Coming from us, it might be a bit biased but LivingWriter is truly a living platform that’s perfect for writers. With our amazing array of features, we make sure that every writer who touches our platform has everything they’ll ever need and more. So that all you need to do is work and finish that manuscript.

Refill the Creative Well

As mentioned above, our inspiration will not always be there. However, you shouldn’t be like a sitting duck waiting for it to come back. Instead, you should also try to actively seek it out. 

You can refill your creative well through a variety of ways, and most of them revolve around taking a break. Because, maybe, that’s what you also need. Resting is important, and it should be one of your New Year’s resolutions this year.

Spend the Next Year with LivingWriter

We hope that 2022 had been an amazing year for everyone. 12 months of writing stories, plotting character developments, and productively publishing novels for everyone to read. However, as life goes on, so do the years, and 2022 is now closing its curtains to open the doors and windows of opportunities for 2023.

Now that 2022 is well and gone, let’s welcome 2023 with the renewed vigor to write as many stories as we can, and write with more gusto than before!

Don’t forget to try LivingWriter this 2023, too!

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